diff --git a/pagure/api/__init__.py b/pagure/api/__init__.py
index 9928397..615d835 100644
--- a/pagure/api/__init__.py
+++ b/pagure/api/__init__.py
@@ -12,7 +12,12 @@ API namespace version 0.
 
 import functools
 
-import fedmsg
+
+try:
+    import fedmsg
+except ImportError:
+    fedmsg = None
+
 import flask
 
 API = flask.Blueprint('api_ns', __name__, url_prefix='/api/0')
@@ -121,10 +126,13 @@ def api_method(function):
                 )
             response.status_code = e.status_code
         else:
-            if flask.request.is_xhr:
-                encoder = fedmsg.encoding.dumps
+            if fedmsg is None:
+                encoder = flask.jsonify
             else:
-                encoder = fedmsg.encoding.pretty_dumps
+                if flask.request.is_xhr:
+                    encoder = fedmsg.encoding.dumps
+                else:
+                    encoder = fedmsg.encoding.pretty_dumps
 
             response = flask.Response(
                 encoder(result), mimetype='application/json')